Oregon man kidnaps 17-year-old, leads police on car chase then kills teen, police say

An Oregon man kidnapped a 17-year-old and lead police on a car chase that ended in a shootout and a dead teenager, police said. 

On May 12, Gervais, Oregon, police responded to a report of a gunshot wound and kidnapping, police said.

When officers arrived,  they found Arik Reed, 22, suffering from a gunshot wound to the stomach. According to Reed’s father, his son was trying to stop the kidnapping when Kenneth William Peden III, 20, shot him. 

Investigators said Peden drove away with Oliver “Ollie Taylor, 17, in his pickup truck.

Police chased Peden throughout the city of Silverton, which is when Peden fired several rounds at officers, according to authorities.

Peden eventually stopped the truck but shot at officers, police said.

The 20-year-old surrendered to police, which is when officers found Taylor in the front passenger seat with a life-threatening gunshot wound, The Oregonian reported.

Taylor was flown to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland and died from his injuries on May 19, authorities said.

On May 20, a grand jury indicted Peden in the killing of Taylor. They also found the police who shot at Peden during the car chase were justified, authorities said. According to investigators, none of the bullets police fired hit Peden or Taylor.

Peden faces a murder charge, five counts of attempted murder and several other criminal charges.